If you long to experience a taste of rustic America and escape the glitz and glamour of the Las Vegas Strip then you might want to check out Bonnie Springs, Old Nevada, especially if you’re looking for something fun and a bit different to do with the whole family.

The history of the ranch

Bonnie Springs Ranch has been around for a while having been established as an attraction in 1952, though before that it was an actual stopover for wagon trains travelling to California. When you get there you’d be forgiven for thinking it’s been around for much much longer! And this is the idea.

What’s Bonnie Springs like?

Well, for a start you’ll find the Old Nevada Western Town there. Honestly, it’s a really friendly place - somewhere you can imagine Woody from Toy Story fitting right in:

It's time for Woody's RoundupHe's the very bestHe's the rootinest tootinest cowboyin the wild wild west

Sorry,
I get carried away - our daughter’s completely obsessed with Toy Story
so the 1880s-style melodramas and gun fights are perfect entertainment
for her, right now. Plus you can also enjoy a museum and some little
shops.

Horse and Pony Rides at Bonnie SpringsThere’s plenty to do. Our girl’s a bit little at the moment but they run cute pony rides for under 5s and for the older children and adults there’s also horse riding. It costs $7.50 for a pony ride.

Bonnie Springs ZooIn keeping with the style of Bonnie Springs is the charming petting zoo where you can look forward to feeding and stroking the animals from donkeys and goats to wolves and lynx. The zoo is non-profit.

Train RideThere’s a little train that children can ride during weekends and holidays. It goes from the main entrance to the lower car park and reminds me of a train ride we have at home in the UK that I used to ride as a child, though obviously the sights you can see from the Bonnie Springs train are pretty different from that.

Food and Entertainment

The restaurant’s open 9am – 9am daily. If you enjoy a good old knees up and visit the Ranch on a Saturday or Sunday then catch the popular Bonnie’s Old West Musical Revue at the restaurant. It’s a comedy packed with songs and dancing suitable for the whole family.

If you haven’t already eaten there’s the handy option of getting some dinner while you’re there for the musical. Like the rest of the Bonnie Springs Ranch the set up’s pretty relaxed with tables instead of the normal rows of seats.

Staying at Bonnie Springs

If you fall in love with Bonnie Springs – and you just might - they have a motel so you can stay. From the ranch you’ll be well placed to explore Red Rock Canyon, which is one of our most memorable trips. Rooms start at $85.

How do you get to Bonnie Springs Ranch?

It’s about 25 miles away from the Strip, in the heart of the beautiful Red Rock Canyon and pretty straight forward to get to. It should take you around 30-40 minutes in the car from the Strip. The roads narrow a bit as you get near the ranch and you may come across the odd donkey (burro) wandering about which just helps set the scene.

How much does it cost?

There are different costs for each attraction so you need to make sure you budget enough for this trip.